STABILITY IN OIL SHALE MINING TUT Department of Mining has started development research which several parts can

TUT Department of Mining has started development research which several parts can be solutions for the study-, science- and devel-
opment projects, utililising mining software in student exercises- solving different problems and also software complex use- same
inputs and outputs for different software.
APPLICATION OF MODELLING TOOLS IN ESTONIAN OIL SHALE MINING The development research will be useful first of all to the Estonian mine industry and mine companies it is possible give recommen-
AREA dations for all Estonian mine planning companies to use one certain software solution and direction and create necessary criteria for
mine studies and for deposit research.
Veiko Karu, Aire Västrik, Ingo Valgma Table 1. Criteria for mining technology. Respective areas are shown in Fig. 3
Department of Mining, Tallinn University of Technology Modelling of distribution of mining technology
For modelling environmental impact, data on location and
veiko.karu@ttu.ee ; aire.vastrik@ttu.ee ; ingo.valgma@ttu.ee advancing speed of mining are required. Depending on
mining conditions, a possible technology, availability of
Methods equipment and its productivity, as well as mining areas are
A method and a computer programme have chosen. Possible mining technologies in certain mining
been developed to assess the underground conditions are the main criteria for restricting a deposit.
mined area of the oil shale deposit and to de- The main criterion is thickness of the overburden (Table 1).
scribe the circle of influence of mining opera-
tions. It is able to evaluate the condition of the
ground and, taking those risks into considera-
tion, plan the usage of the ground and con-
structional actions. Using the geological data-
set, the plan of mining operations and subsi-
dence which are affected by mine work, calcu-
lation method, it is possible to calculate the
mine influence types: quasistable land, sub-
sided land. Binding the dataset enables to get
more detailed information than ever before
about certain territory.

Spatial modelling
According to the Estonian law it is allowed to build on the state land which contains mineral resources only
if the principles of resource protection are followed and different aspects of the chosen location will not harm
possible buildings in any way. Territories with mineral resources or underground mines have to be co-
ordinated with planning law at the beginning of the general or detail planning design phase.
The development plan was chosen after analysing all potential technologies, risks and expenses. The plan al-
lows evaluation of environmental and social impacts of mining until the year 2025 (Fig. 1).

Mined out area Fig. 2. Example of surface mine visualisation model

Kohtla-Järve
Kohtla-Järve
Mine visualization
Kukruse
Kukruse The model (Fig. 2) can
Uljaste
ljaste Põhja-Kiviõli
Põhja-Kiviõli Surface mines Käva
Käva 22
be viewed from differ-
Küttejõu
Küttejõu
Kaevandus
Kaevandus 22 Surface mines ent angles playing with
Vana
Vana Kohtla
Kohtla
Kiviõli
Kiviõli
Kaevandus
Kaevandus 44
Tammiku
Tammiku
different parameters. It
Kohtla
Kohtla is a good visual sup-
Aidu
Aidu
Sompa
Sompa port when the new
Uus Kiviõli
Uus Kiviõli
Ahtme
Ahtme mine project is intro-
Viru
Viru
Sonda
Sonda
Narva
Narva duced to the general
public.
Ojamaa
Ojamaa
Mining in 2006
Mining development until 2025 Estonia
Estonia
Oandu
Oandu

Tudu
Tudu Seli
Seli

Puhatu
Puhatu
As shown in Table 1, more expensive mining technologies or those not practiced in
Estonian oil shale deposit greatly increase the surface mining area and different min-
Underground mines ing impacts according to water regime and landscape. Open-cast mining with drag-
Permisküla
Permisküla
lines and conveyor bridges and combined stripping methods with excavators and
Peipsi
Peipsi
bulldozers allow to increase mineable overburden thickness and to move mines Fig. 3. Possible technologies in mining fields depending on the given crite-
southwards (Fig. 3). ria. Raster shows technologies according to the table 1.
Fig. 1. Development plan of Estonian oil shale mining areas, grid 5x5 km